Windows Phone Marketplace hits 40,000

It may just be a fraction of the 500,000+ apps in the Apple App Store, or the 370,000 odd apps that fandroids can download from the Android Market - but the fact that Windows Phone 7 users can now tap into more than 40,000 apps will be welcome news for Microsoft.

Following the high profile launch of the Nokia Windows Phone 7 range, and the Mango major update, there's nothing quite like an app milestone to create some hype.

Back in January we told you how the Windows Phone Marketplace had hit 6,000 apps and was growing at a rate of 116 per day. The rate had slowed a bit by March, when the 10,000 mark was passed but now it's up to 165 a day, no doubt Mango-infused, and the total stands at 40,189.

These apps are from 10,731 different publishers and there's hope that the 50,000 mark might just be hit before 2011 is done and dusted.

The actual number of apps that you can get in the UK, after removals and licensing issues is 32,332.

Are you on board with the Windows Phone 7 revolution, or are you sticking with iOS or Android? Let us know using the comments below.